Beijing City International School vs Keystone Academy

	B Beijing City International School Beijing, China	K Keystone Academy Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 244,000 - 343,500	Fees / year RMB 289,800 - 323,950
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 5 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 1,275	Pupils 1,596
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 2005	Opened 2014
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Main campus: No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022. The Early Childhood Center is nearby at No. 11 Dongbai Street (both in the Shuangjing / Baiziwan area close to the CBD). The site is inside Chaoyang District with good road links to central Chaoyang residential compounds and public transport; the school's contact page lists both campus addresses and phone numbers.	Location Keystone Academy is in the northeastern suburbs of Beijing: No. 11 Anfu Street, Houshayu Town, Shunyi District (postcode 101318). The campus is in the Shunyi district near Beijing Capital International Airport and is reached by the S11/Jingcheng and local roads; the school's admissions office lists the campus address and phone for directions.
Stages	Stages BCIS is divided into an Early Childhood Center/Courtyard Kindergarten (Toddler–Kindergarten), an Elementary School (Grade 1–5) and a Secondary School (Grade 6–12). The admissions page and school sections show age/grade guidance and entry cut-off dates by academic year.	Stages Keystone is a full K–12 school split into Primary (early years/primary), Middle (MYP-style curriculum) and High School (IB Diploma in Grades 11–12). The website presents distinct Primary, Middle and High School pages and materials for each division.
School type	School type BCIS is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school (no boarding provision is listed). The school's materials describe it as an international school that admits both foreign and Chinese national students who reside in Beijing.	School type Keystone is a private, co-educational K–12 school that operates both day and residential (boarding) programs. The school's Residential Life program describes dormitory living and student supervision; students are required to board starting in Grade 9.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support BCIS runs a Student Support Services program that includes counselling, Learning Support (for learners across the ability range) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support; specialists work with classroom teachers to provide targeted interventions. The school also publishes child-protection and wellbeing policies and describes coordinated support for social–emotional needs.	Additional learning support The school runs a Student Development Support Centre (CSD) that provides academic support plans, accommodations and ongoing case management; the centre also helps coordinate with external specialists when needed. The admissions policy asks families to disclose learning support needs so the school can assess whether it can provide appropriate support.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation BCIS is an international school with no single-country affiliation; it admits students of all nationalities and is registered with the Chaoyang District education authorities. The school's site and admissions material state its international intake and local registration.	Country affiliation Keystone is an independent school located in China; its program explicitly weaves a Chinese curricular thread into a bilingual, international model rather than being affiliated to a foreign national school system.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public materials; its mission and programs are presented secularly on the official site.	Religious affiliation The school does not identify with any religion on its official pages; its materials present Keystone as a secular 'world school' focused on bilingual and experiential education.
School day structure	School day structure School hours vary slightly by campus but the school day typically runs in the morning to mid/late afternoon (most published timetables show starts around 08:10–08:30 and regular finishes in the 15:30–15:45 range). BCIS also operates an earlier finish on Wednesdays (afternoon departure times are earlier on that day) and offers after-school enrichment sessions.	School day structure The school's published schedules vary by program and year group and the site does not offer a single public bell-time table for all divisions. Example program pages show typical arrival for programs around 8:15–8:30 and program-day end times near 15:30, and the FAQ notes after-school activities and evening boarding routines for residential students (including supervised study periods). For exact daily start/end and break times you should request the current parent handbook or contact admissions.
Bus service details	Bus service details BCIS operates an in-house school bus service; parents request places via a transport application form and the school lists dedicated bus coordinators and contact details. A free shuttle runs between the Main Campus and the ECC during school days; regular and late buses operate in the afternoons. The school names its contracted provider (Hu Hang (Beijing) School Bus Operation Management Co. Ltd.), and notes safety features such as GPS tracking, professional drivers/attendants and vehicle air-purification systems.	Bus service details Keystone provides a paid school-bus service (route and fee details vary by year and program). Summer/short-program pages list school-bus fees and typical pick-up (around 8:15) and drop-off (around 15:30) times for day programs, and the FAQ notes a school bus service for after-school activities (e.g., 16:30 pick-up after clubs). For route coverage, fees and pick-up/drop-off points the admissions office can provide the current routes and pricing.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - A non‑refundable application fee applies. For applications to the 2025–2026 school year the published application fee is RMB 3,000. Tuition fees — annual (by year group) The school's published fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year lists annual tuition by age/grade. The following figures are the school-year (annual) tuition amounts quoted in RMB: - Toddler (Nursery 2): RMB 244,000 per year. - Kindergarten (younger kindergarten levels shown by some sources as Kindg 1 / Kindg 2): RMB 265,000 – RMB 285,000 per year (depending on kindergarten level). - Grades 1–5 (Elementary): RMB 298,000 per year. - Grades 6–8 (Lower/Middle secondary): RMB 321,500 per year. - Grades 9–10 (Upper secondary / IGCSE‑equivalent years): RMB 332,000 per year. - Grades 11–12 (IB Diploma / senior years): RMB 343,500 per year. (Third‑party compilations of BCIS fees for recent previous years show similar annual ranges and list the same fee categories; these are consistent with the 2025–2026 figures above. ) Per‑term figures (inference from annual amounts) - The school states that “school fees are payable in advance.” The publicly posted fee schedule gives annual fees; a per‑term amount is not published on the public fee page. If a family is invoiced on a two‑term / two‑semester basis, a simple division of the annual fee by two produces the following illustrative per‑term amounts (this is an arithmetical division of the published annual fee and not an official BCIS semester invoice): - Toddler: approx. RMB 122,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 1–5: approx. RMB 149,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 11–12: approx. RMB 171,750 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Note: this per‑term split is an inferred calculation based on the published annual fees because the public fees page states only that fees are payable in advance and does not display an official semester billing table. Families should expect invoices that reflect the school's chosen billing arrangement for the year. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published statement indicates that school fees are payable in advance; fees include tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and any bus service fees. Parents are advised that fees are reviewed regularly and to anticipate annual increases. - The application fee is explicitly described as non‑refundable. Boarding fees - BCIS operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not part of the school's provision. There is no published boarding fee because BCIS is a day school. Other costs and typical additional fees - New‑student / admission administration fee: several independent local school listings and parent guides cite a one‑time new‑student (enrolment) fee around RMB 15,000 for BCIS; this has been listed in recent school‑profile compilations. - Transportation (school bus): independent compilations show typical annual bus fees in the range of approximately RMB 17,600 to RMB 24,200 (actual amount depends on route/zone). - Uniforms: the school provides the first full school uniform set free to students in Toddler through Grade 10; families may order additional uniform items at cost through the school's uniform ordering system. - MacBook / device costs: BCIS requires students in Grades 4–12 to have a MacBook that meets the school's specified minimums; the school works with an authorized reseller to offer discounted education pricing and recommends AppleCare. Device purchase and any recommended extended warranty are additional family costs. - Lunch / meal charges: arrangements differ by campus; ECC lunch/snacks are included in the ECC tuition, while Main Campus students often use a pre‑paid pass for on‑campus meals—expect separate meal charges where noted. (School publications and school‑profile listings describe differing arrangements by campus.) - Extracurricular, trips, external examination fees and some optional activities (e.g., individual music tuition, certain overseas trips) are typically charged in addition to tuition where applicable. Independent school guides list these as common additional costs. Refund information - The application fee is non‑refundable. BCIS's public tuition page gives the high‑level statement that fees are payable in advance, but a detailed public refund schedule or a detailed withdrawal/tuition‑refund table is not shown on the publicly visible tuition page. Families should expect that some one‑time fees (application, administration) are treated as non‑refundable; specific refund percentages and notice periods for tuition withdrawals are not publicly itemized on the BCIS tuition page. Fee payment options - The school's public materials indicate fees are payable in advance and are invoiced by the school; typical payment methods used by international K‑12 schools in Beijing include local bank transfer (RMB), and international bank transfer (USD/RMB) as invoiced, and card payments where accepted by the school's billing platform. Parents frequently receive specific bank details and accepted payment methods on the invoice. The BCIS published pages do not display a single public list of accepted payment methods on the tuition summary page; families receive precise payment instructions on their invoice. Key practical notes for parents (factual summary) - Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable). - Annual tuition: ranges by year group from about RMB 244,000 (Toddler) up to about RMB 343,500 (Grades 11–12) for the 2025–2026 school year, per published fee compilations. - First full uniform set is provided at no charge for Toddler–Grade 10; additional uniform items are payable by families. - Students in Grades 4–12 must meet the school's MacBook specification and typically purchase the device (discounted reseller option available). - BCIS is a day school; no boarding fees apply. (Where the public page gives only annual totals, per‑term amounts shown above were calculated by halving the published annual fee to illustrate how an equal two‑term split would look; that split is an arithmetic inference and not an official BCIS semester invoice. For billing‑cycle details, invoice breakdowns and precise additional fees for items such as buses, AppleCare or optional trips, consult the invoice you receive from the school.)	Fee details Application fee - The school's public admission pages do not publish a fixed application-fee amount. Keystone uses the OpenApply application system and indicates that application submission includes payment of required application fees as part of the process. Tuition fees (annual, current academic year) - Primary School: RMB 289,800 per year. - Middle School: RMB 320,850 per year. - High School: RMB 323,950 per year. Per-term breakdown - Keystone publishes tuition as annual amounts by school division. A per-term (semester/term) breakdown is not published on the school's public pages and therefore per-term figures are not available in the school's public materials. Boarding and meals - Boarding and meal fees (for students required to board from Grade 9 onward) are RMB 110,250 per academic year. Boarding is required starting in Grade 9. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school states that next year's tuition and other fee levels are determined and announced in February each year. Detailed billing schedules (term invoicing dates, due dates) and standard payment terms are not published on the school's public admission pages. OpenApply is used during application processing and the admission process references submission of application fees as part of that workflow. Other costs and optional fees - Some after‑school activities and specialist external programs may carry additional charges; most teacher‑run KAP activities are included but certain activities run by hired specialists may require extra fees. Uniform procurement and supplier arrangements are handled by the school (supplier selection has been announced) but uniform costs are not listed publicly. Additional costs such as trips, optional program fees, transport or personal items are not published as fixed amounts on public pages. Refund information - The school does not publish a detailed public refund/withdrawal policy (refund amounts, timelines, or administrative procedures) on its admission or how‑to‑apply pages. Fee payment options - The school's public pages do not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, Alipay, WeChat Pay). The application process is handled through OpenApply and the Admissions Office is the listed contact for payment and billing questions.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements Keystone Academy provides a residential life program on campus. Beginning in Grade 9, students are required to board on campus; boarding and meal fees are 110,250 RMB per academic year. Dorms are supervised by dorm parents—teachers who live in private apartments on each hallway; each student room has a private en suite bathroom, and there are student lounges with kitchen facilities. The residential program includes 24/7 supervision, academic support, library access after hours, outings and activities, and a Health Center.
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement The school provides one full school uniform set to students from Toddler to Grade 10. The uniform can be ordered online. For the 2025-2026 school year, the uniform order period begins August 10, 2025; new users register an account, log in with their Student or Staff ID, and follow the steps to place the order. The first full uniform set is free.	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options The school provides healthy, balanced, high-quality meals and snacks. ECC campus catering times include breakfast 8:00-8:30, morning snack 10:00-11:00, lunch 12:00-12:50, and afternoon snack 14:00-15:00. Main Campus snack and lunch times are ES 10:30 and 12:30; SS 11:15. Contact emails are BCIS.ECC@zhongrongyx.com (ECC), BCIS.Maincampus@zhongrongyx.com (Main Campus), and foodservice@bcis.cn.	Food options Meals are provided as part of the boarding arrangement, with boarding and meal fees included in the annual cost (110,250 RMB).
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership BCIS is a non-profit private school. It is governed by a Board of Trustees under a Head of School responsible system, with two committees: the Education & Development Committee and the Finance & Operations Committee. The Board Chair is Mr. He Lantian. Board Members include Mr. Tan Wee Seng, Ms. Liu Peng, Mr. Gou Yiqun, and Mr. Yang Jinfang.	Governance and ownership The school operates as a non-profit organization; Beijing Keystone School is described as a non-profit Chinese school.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details BCIS delivers the International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in Elementary (Grades 1–5), Middle Years Programme in Grades 6–10, and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; the school is authorised for PYP, MYP and DP. The Early Childhood Center (toddlers to kindergarten) uses a play‑based, inquiry‑led pedagogy aligned with the PYP transdisciplinary framework to prepare children for Grade 1. In Elementary the PYP drives learning across mathematics, language, personal/social/emotional development, science, social studies, visual arts, music and physical education, with EAL and Chinese language support. The MYP (Grades 6–10) continues inquiry‑based learning and includes arts (drama, music, visual art), individuals & societies, language & literature (English/Chinese), language acquisition (English/Chinese/Spanish), mathematics, physical & health education, sciences and design. In Grades 11–12 students may follow the IB Diploma (six DP subject groups plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) or a personalised IDEATE pathway/BCIS Diploma that can combine IB courses, in‑person IDEATE courses and online dual‑enrolment/university‑credit options.	Curriculum details Keystone Academy (北京市鼎石学校) operates a K–12 bilingual (Chinese–English) programme that deliberately integrates elements of the Chinese national curriculum with international curricula and a boarding model. In the primary school the programme uses a dual‑language immersion approach and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), combined with a distinctive “China” thread that embeds Chinese language, culture and national curriculum standards. The middle school covers Grades 6–9 and explicitly blends the China national curriculum with the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) alongside continued bilingual, inquiry‑based learning. The high school prepares students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB DP), including the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) and a bilingual/China‑focused approach to TOK and the curriculum in Years 11–12. Across all stages Keystone emphasizes experiential learning, outdoor education and a broad co‑curricular programme (KAP) and provides university‑counselling support to prepare students for tertiary study.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning BCIS describes social and emotional learning as part of its Student Support and school learning models: counsellors deliver guidance lessons (social skills, mindfulness, conflict resolution, digital citizenship), participate in homeroom/advisory programmes, and collaborate with teachers and families to support students' wellbeing. The Secondary School page explicitly states the school “prioritiz[es] social and emotional learning” within its learning model. The counselling team also runs whole‑school and year‑level wellbeing initiatives and parent workshops to support transitions and resilience. These provisions are described on the school's Student Support Services and counselling pages.	Social & emotional learning Keystone integrates social and emotional learning across its curriculum and residential programme: Primary and Middle School pages describe CARE time, advisory groups (each student has a faculty advisor), experiential learning and co-curricular activities aimed at social and emotional development. The school's mission and programme pages also emphasise character and community-building as a core part of student development. Residential Life describes dorm parents and structured dorm activities that foster mentoring, conflict mediation and leadership development outside class time. These elements are presented as school-wide, routine provisions rather than a single separate SEL course.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) BCIS states that its Learning Support (LS) programme is core to Student Support and combines guidance counsellors and LS teachers to support a wide range of student needs, including students with learning difficulties and students who are highly capable. The website explains LS works collaboratively with classroom teachers to create personalised interventions across the learning continuum. The school does not publish a detailed list of specific medical or diagnosable SEN categories it will or will not support, nor does it present itself as a specialist SEN institution on its public pages. For details or eligibility for particular needs families are directed to contact admissions or Student Support.	Special educational needs (SEN) The website describes a Student Development Centre and names learning-support teachers and psychologists in school communications, indicating an in‑school learning-support function. A programme page and news items reference “learning support” staff working with students (for example in short programmes such as Readers Theatre). The site does not list a public catalogue of specific categories of Special Educational Needs it accepts, nor does it describe itself as a specialist SEN institution. For clarity, the school's public pages show learning-support staff exist but do not specify which exact SEN conditions are supported.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language BCIS states it operates a comprehensive English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme: specialist EAL teachers work alongside homeroom and subject teachers to provide structured, personalised EAL support across the curriculum. The Admissions pages also note English is the language of instruction and applicants may need to provide standard English test reports as part of admissions screening. The school therefore documents both in‑class EAL provision and expectations about English proficiency for admission.	English as an additional language Keystone operates a bilingual-immersion model and states that “every teacher…teaches not only his or her subject, but also languages,” which underpins language support across the curriculum. The site also publishes specific language-targeted programmes (for example a Readers Theatre short programme described as designed for students for whom English is a second language). These descriptions show EAL support is provided through the school's bilingual model and designated learning-support staff rather than a separately labelled EAL department. The website does not present a standalone, itemised EAL admissions policy or tiered EAL levels on public pages.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing BCIS describes a professional counselling team that provides confidential one‑to‑one and small‑group counselling, supports homeroom/advisory programmes, runs parent workshops, and designs interventions in collaboration with teachers and families. The school's counselling communications note specific wellbeing activities (e.g., Wellness Wednesdays, screen‑free wellness days) and ongoing contact with families during periods of remote learning. These services are presented as part of the Student Support/Counselling provision on the school site.	Mental wellbeing Keystone states that student mental, emotional and physical well‑being “drives everything we do,” and describes integration of well‑being into curriculum (CARE time), advisory groups and the residential programme. The site names psychologists and counsellors within its Student Development Centre in news content, and the Residential Life page lists counselling and support services plus a Health Center. Those pages indicate counselling and learning‑support staff are available as part of routine student services, but the website does not publish a public, detailed clinical or referral pathway for specialist mental‑health care.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding BCIS publishes a formal Child Protection Policy (approved December 2016, reviewed May 2023) that sets out aims, reporting procedures, staff training requirements, student keeping‑safe lessons, and responsibilities for preventing and responding to abuse and neglect. The Student Support Services page links to the Child Protection/Safeguarding documents and to related policies (Code of Conduct; Positive Relationships and Wellbeing; Digital Citizenship). The Child Protection Policy explicitly requires mandatory staff training, age‑appropriate student safety lessons, and established communication/flow‑chart procedures for disclosures.	Safeguarding The website states faculty and staff are trained in child‑protection and describes measures for student safety in residential life, including dorm parents who provide 24/7 supervision, an advising system, counselling/support services and an on‑site Health Center. Residential Life and the Primary School well‑being page explicitly refer to staff training in child protection and to systems intended to ensure safety and security. The public site does not appear to publish a separate, detailed child‑protection policy document or a named online safeguarding policy page for external download.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview BCIS operates across multiple Beijing campuses: the Early Childhood Center, Courtyard Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Secondary School. The Main Campus is located at 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The Early Childhood Center notes that the school has state-of-the-art facilities. There are libraries at the ECC, Elementary School, and Secondary School campuses designed to provide a safe, welcoming environment for reading, research and lifelong learning. The libraries and other on-site spaces support learning across age groups.	Facilities overview Keystone Academy is located at No.11 Anfu Street, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing. It operates a Beijing campus with a residential life program. The school uses a bilingual immersion curriculum in English and Chinese, with every teacher contributing to language development across subjects. The residential life program provides a structured community that emphasizes leadership and character development. The learning model emphasizes experiential learning, service learning, and global engagement on campus. Graduates are prepared for top English-speaking universities worldwide.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities BCIS provides a gym, a soccer field, a swimming pool, and a fitness room as on-site facilities. These spaces are available to the BCIS community, with opening hours posted and access subject to school events.	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Three BCIS libraries—one at the Early Childhood Center, one at the Elementary School, and one at the Secondary School—are designed to create a pleasant and safe environment for teaching and learning. The libraries support reading, research and lifelong learning, with teacher librarians collaborating with teachers to integrate information literacy into the curriculum. Parents are welcome to check out books from the libraries; resources support personal, social, and emotional development. The libraries function as flexible resource centers for staff, students, parents and the wider BCIS community.	Academic facilities Primary School uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in the primary grades. The High School offers the Keystone Diploma Programme (IB DP) and is authorized to deliver the Diploma Programme; the Middle School Programme is in the process of authorization. Keystone Academy is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from foundation year to grade 12.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities BCIS offers Enrichment Activities across Athletic, Arts & Culture and Academic categories, including Swimming, Aeromodelling, Start Up, Model United Nations, Robot Maker, Orchestra, Brain Bee and many others. Week Without Walls provides off-campus learning experiences each year for Elementary and Secondary students. BCIS supports Athletics through a dedicated program, including the BCIS Water Warriors Swim Team for Grades 2–12.	Extra curricular facilities Keystone Academy provides a broad range of extracurricular clubs and groups (KAP), and students can establish new clubs. The program includes service learning and experiential learning, with school-wide initiatives addressing issues such as climate change, environmental protection, and wildlife. The campus emphasizes a world-school approach that integrates local and global perspectives.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History BCIS opened in 2005, initially enrolling fewer than 60 students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and expanding its secondary provision in the years that followed. The school is operated as a non-profit and is a member institution of YueCheng Education. In August 2014 BCIS opened a purpose-built Early Childhood Center, and that facility later received LEED recognition. As the school has grown it has undertaken multi-year strategic planning processes to guide its development.	History Keystone Academy (北京市鼎石学校) opened in 2014; the school's public “About” pages state it was established that year and presents itself as a Chinese K–12 school that borrows international curriculum frameworks. The school is governed by a board (校董会); the leadership page lists Edward Shanahan as board chair and names Meng Siyuan (孟思渊) as the founding/executive principal, indicating a governance model with an international leadership team.
Community	Community The BCIS community brings together international and local families, faculty, staff and alumni who participate in campus-wide events such as International Day, the Winter Bazaar and the Roundabout Book Fair. Student-led projects and extracurricular programs — including entrepreneurial challenges and sustainability activities run by student groups (for example, Eco Warriors) — involve family volunteers and local partners. The school posts regular news and calendar items and encourages parent participation through workshops, community events and school-hosted social gatherings.	Community Keystone describes its community as a bilingual, residential-capable learning community that combines classroom and experiential learning and pursues schoolwide initiatives such as service‑learning and global-facing events. The site's community pages highlight regular student-led projects, public talks and outreach (for example service projects and school events) that bring families, staff and students together.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Membership in the BCIS PTA is automatic for parents, teachers and members of the school community; the PTA is organized as a non-profit body that aims to support the school's international character and community cohesion. The PTA helps plan and run specific events such as International Day, the Roundabout Book Fair, Spring in the City and the Winter Carnival/Bazaar. Fundraising is managed by the PTA and it operates a Grant Program through which Student Council, classes, individual students, teachers or management can apply for project support. The PTA also runs weekly language classes for members and hosts clubs and activities such as arts & crafts sessions and book clubs; many PTA activities rely on volunteers from the parent body. The PTA constitution (2010) and contact details for the PTA president and secretary are published on the school site.	Parent teacher association The school's parent body is organized as 鼎石家校委员会 (the PTA/parent‑school committee); all parents and staff are considered members and an executive committee of around ten parent and teacher volunteers coordinates routine activities. The PTA sponsors recurring parent groups and activities listed on the site, including a PTA choir, a “dad's football” team and a parent cooking group called 鼎鼎大厨. The PTA also helps organize and support community service programmes and publicity for school events; the site lists examples such as online teaching in Gansu, services for people with visual impairment, and traditional building‑protection projects. For contact or coordination the PTA provides a mailbox (pta@keystoneacademy.cn) on the school's parents page.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual The school teaches in English. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). IDEATE is BCIS's high school pathway for Grades 9–12, with in‑person courses in IB (MYP or DP), optional IDEATE courses for Grades 11–12, online dual enrollment with Arizona State University and Savannah College of Art and Design, and online options via Global Online Academy and Virtual High School; university guidance supports the pathway.	Academic & intellectual Keystone Academy uses a bilingual immersion model in English and Chinese across the school. The Primary School follows the Inquiry-Based Primary Curriculum (IPC) to deliver integrated studies. In secondary, the school offers the IB Middle Years Programme for Grades 6–10 and the IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from foundation year to Grade 12.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative Arts education includes Chinese Performing Arts and Chinese Visual Arts in the primary and middle years. The English Immersion Program covers humanities, sciences, and performing arts. The Keystone Activities Program provides extracurriculars in music, visual arts, theatre, athletics, student council, and community service.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language Keystone maintains a bilingual environment with instruction in both English and Chinese. The Chinese Thread weaves Chinese language, culture, literature, and related topics into the curriculum. In high school, bilingual learning supports the international and Chinese cultural context within the Diploma Programme.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies The Keystone Activities Program offers team sports, music, visual arts, theatre, and social clubs. There are extensive co-curricular opportunities, including student council and community service. Weekly activities and groups enable students to pursue personal interests beyond academics.
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service Creativity, Activity, and Service are embedded in the Diploma Programme. The school encourages community engagement and service through co-curricular activities and DP requirements. Students undertake service projects as part of their learning and personal growth.
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional Leadership development is a hallmark of Keystone's high school program. The program emphasizes residential character and leadership education. University and career counseling supports help students plan their college pathway.
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing The Chinese Thread includes health and wellbeing as core components of Physical Education and Wellness. Bilingual immersion fosters cognitive flexibility and social-emotional development. Arts, athletics, and service activities support balanced wellbeing and personal growth.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision The school teaches in English. It is an International Baccalaureate World School that implements the Chinese national curriculum as part of its program.	Language provision Chinese and English are the core languages taught. The bilingual approach aims for graduates to be proficient in both languages. The program spans Primary School through High School.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching The school uses bilingual immersion in Chinese and English across the Primary School, Middle School, and High School programs. Every teacher teaches not only their subject but also languages. Graduates are prepared to think, communicate, read, analyze, and innovate in both English and Chinese.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs Bilingual immersion in Chinese and English is integrated into the curriculum, with teachers acting as language teachers alongside subject instructors to develop bilingual proficiency across the student body.
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards Between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2026, the BCIS website explicitly records one school-level award won by the school itself: - China School Awards — "Enterprise and Employability" (winner, March 10, 2023). The BCIS news item describes that BCIS was selected as the winner of the Enterprise & Employability award in the China School Awards (organized by the British Chambers of Commerce); the prize recognises a school's work to develop students' employability and enterprise skills and was presented to the school. Note: I searched the school website for other items described as awards given to the school in the same five‑year window; other recognitions on the site (for example, project prizes or competition awards) refer to student teams or individual students and so were not included because you asked only for awards granted to the school as an institution.	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations 1) International Baccalaureate (IB) — BCIS is a fully authorized IB World School delivering the PYP, MYP and DP. This means the school has completed the IB authorization process and is approved to teach IB programmes, which involves regular review of curriculum and teaching against IB standards and practices. 2) Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) — BCIS states it is accredited by WASC. WASC accreditation indicates the school has met an external set of quality standards for governance, teaching and learning, and undergoes periodic review by WASC teams. 3) Council of International Schools (CIS) — BCIS states it is accredited by CIS. CIS accreditation is an international school-quality process that assesses the school's programme, leadership, resources and student support and is renewed through cyclical evaluation. 4) Approval by the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing — the school's website notes BCIS is approved/registered with the local education authority, which is the basis for its ability to enroll both international and Chinese-national students and indicates local regulatory recognition. 5) Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) membership — BCIS's news item and admissions announcement list the school as a member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a membership that supports alternative, competency‑based transcript practices and signals the school's participation in that network. (Listed on the school website as a membership/recognition rather than a traditional accreditation.) 6) LEED Gold (Early Childhood Center facilities) — BCIS notes its Early Childhood Center holds LEED Gold certification for the building. This is a third‑party, industry certification of the ECC campus' environmental and building‑performance standards rather than an academic accreditation.	Accreditations - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): Keystone is accredited by WASC (covering foundation year through Grade 12). WASC is a U.S.-based regional accrediting body that evaluates whole-school quality and continuous improvement; its accreditation indicates the school meets a set of international standards for governance, curriculum, student support and school improvement. - International Baccalaureate (IB) — Diploma Programme (DP) authorization: Keystone is an IB World School authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme in its high school. The IB Diploma Programme is an internationally recognised two-year curriculum for ages 16–19 that focuses on academic breadth, critical thinking and international-mindedness; authorization means the school has met IB standards and is approved to assess and award the IB Diploma. (The school's site also shows ongoing DP cohorts and published DP results.) - International Primary Curriculum (IPC) registration: Keystone states it is registered with the inquiry-based International Primary Curriculum and uses the IPC in its primary grades. The IPC is a thematic, inquiry-led curriculum for young learners; registration indicates the school follows IPC units and framework in primary years. - Middle Years Programme (MYP) — status on the school website: the school's materials refer to the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in their middle‑school descriptions and in DP-related reporting, while the FAQ also states the school has been “in the process of gaining authorization for [its] Middle School Programme.” That wording indicates the school references MYP practice and/or staff for middle years while its formal authorization status was described as in-process on the FAQ. (See the FAQ and the program/news pages for the school's description of middle‑school provision.)
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Familiarize yourself with BCIS and schedule a campus tour. The school's Admissions Policy encourages families to tour the campus before applying so you can assess fit with BCIS's mission and educational approach; the school will not consider an application complete until a campus tour has been completed. Parents should plan the tour well ahead of key application windows and bring questions about curriculum, language support and campus logistics. 2. Check age and grade eligibility before applying. BCIS publishes age-by-August-31 cutoffs for each incoming school year (for example, the policy lists the dates used to determine appropriate grades for 2025–2026 and 2026–2027), so confirm your child's placement against those dates before you submit an application. If a child's previous school calendar differs from BCIS, expect BCIS to place the child in the grade they are currently studying or have just completed unless exceptional circumstances are agreed by principals. 3. Begin the online application (OpenApply) and pay the application fee. BCIS requires an online application via the link on its Admissions pages; for the 2025–2026 intake the non-refundable application fee is stated as RMB 3,000. Parents should complete the online form carefully, keep a record of the submission, and be prepared to follow up with admissions by phone or email to confirm seat availability if applying late or relocating to Beijing. 4. Prepare and upload required supporting documents specific to the child's level. For Early Childhood and Elementary: passports or hukou (depending on nationality), recent school/assessment reports (if available), one BCIS recommendation form (if the child is currently in a program or school), the completed Student Medical Form and vaccination records, and — for kindergarten entrants — a recent health check-up form. For Secondary (Grades 6–11): passports or hukou, school reports for the past two academic years, two BCIS recommendation forms (homeroom & English recommended), a student essay in the online application, medical and vaccination records, and, if applicable, standard English test reports (TOEFL, IELTS, SSAT, Duolingo, MAP, etc.). Make sure teacher recommendation forms are completed in English and have the referee email them directly to admissions as instructed. 5. Expect assessment and interview stages once your application is complete. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews (BCIS interviews students and often parents separately); for Secondary applicants BCIS assesses English language skills and may request formal English test results before or during this stage. If parents do not speak English they may bring an interpreter to the parental interview; bring copies of transcripts, examples of student work, and any other evidence that supports your child's academic and extracurricular profile. 6. Understand how offers, placement and rolling admissions work. BCIS uses a rolling admissions approach: after the first round, applications continue to be considered while seats remain available in each grade. The school evaluates fit holistically (academic history, English proficiency, interests, and current cohort balance) and placement is finalized after interviews and any required testing; parents should check seat availability with Admissions before investing in travel or making firm relocation plans. 7. Be aware of key fees and payment expectations associated with admission. BCIS states that school fees (tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and bus fees) are payable in advance and that fees are reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees. The website confirms the application fee (RMB 3,000) and notes fees for the 2025–2026 school year; independent fee aggregators list annual tuition ranges (example figures published by external sources for 2025–2026: approximately RMB 244,000–343,500 depending on grade) and show common one-time items such as a new-student administration fee and transport costs — but these numbers should be confirmed directly with Admissions because the BCIS fees page provides policy and a year label while the school's detailed amounts are periodically updated. Parents should ask Admissions for the current fee schedule, deposit, payment deadlines, and refund policy before accepting an offer. 8. Complete enrollment requirements after an offer is accepted. BCIS requires completed medical forms and vaccination records before enrollment and will provide instructions on any final administrative steps (contracts, tuition payment, bus registration, uniform ordering). Keep copies of passports/visa pages or hukou for school records, confirm start date and grade placement in writing, and maintain regular contact with the Admissions office for any outstanding items. Contact details for Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary admissions are published on the BCIS site and are useful to have on hand.	Admissions 1. Create an application account (OpenApply) and start your child's application. Keystone asks families to open an account on keystoneacademy.openapply.cn and begin the online application as the first step; because places are limited there is an application cap for the Foundation Year, Grade 1 and Grade 7, so families interested in those grades should start as early as possible. If you have previously applied to Keystone or registered for an admissions event with the same email, you can log in with that address rather than creating a new account. 2. Expect the school to invite scheduled meetings and assessments within a few business days. After you submit the initial application, the Admissions Office will email guidance to schedule a parent meeting and a student meeting/assessment (the site notes this guidance usually arrives within 2–3 working days). Parents should watch the inbox they used for the application and be ready to propose times for those meetings. 3. Prepare and request required school documents and recommendations. Keystone asks applicants to request a current teacher recommendation through the application system; personal recommendation letters are optional. School records must be provided according to the grade: applicants for Foundation Year–Grade 3 should supply one and a half years of school reports; applicants for Grades 4–11 should supply two and a half years of reports. 4. Complete the written statements and (where required) student essay inside the application. Families must complete a parent statement in the OpenApply account; applicants in Grades 6–11 are also required to complete a student essay in the application. These written materials are part of the Admissions Committee's review packet. 5. Track application progress online and wait for committee review. You can log in to your OpenApply account at any time to check whether the application file is complete; completed files are submitted to the Admissions Committee for discussion. Keystone states final decisions are normally communicated in early spring for on-time applicants; families should plan for a multi-week review timeline once the file is complete. If you have particular timing constraints (for example mid‑year entry), contact Admissions directly to discuss options. 6. Post‑decision practical steps if accepted. The school's scheduled next steps typically include formal acceptance communication and then the usual enrolment actions (parents are asked to follow the admissions office's instructions to complete enrollment paperwork and any required payments). For short programs and Archway offerings the site explicitly states that fees are collected after acceptance; for full-year enrolment the Admissions Office will provide the enrollment checklist and payment instructions at the acceptance stage. 7. Be aware of grade availability and language/age requirements. Keystone indicates primary entry grades they plan to admit each year (notably Grade 1 and Grade 7) and says other grade-level admissions depend on vacancies from departing families; Grade 1 entrants must be six years old by August 31 of the entry year. The school also notes applicants for Grade 1 and above should have sufficient Chinese and English to access the bilingual, immersion curriculum. Parents should contact Admissions early to confirm whether there are current openings for the grade you need.
Scholarships	Scholarships BCIS operates an active Scholarship Program targeted at Secondary students (Grades 9–12) and offers four scholarship streams: Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarships (these are open to external and internal applicants depending on the scheme), and the Founder's Scholarship (for current BCIS students entering Grades 11–12). The school awards both 100% and 50% scholarships in these categories, and recipients must complete high school at BCIS and meet program requirements through to graduation. Scholarship aims, eligibility criteria and types are described in detail on BCIS's Scholarship Program page. Application mechanics and requirements: Each external scholarship category requires a 600–800 word essay (topic provided at time of application), names and contact details for two teacher referees who will complete recommendation forms in English, supporting documentary evidence or a portfolio (awards, past work, exam results, certificates, media, etc.), and shortlisted candidates must complete an interview with the BCIS Scholarship Committee (including a faculty expert where relevant). BCIS publishes clear documentary and interview requirements for each scholarship type (Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarship), and scholarship awards are renewable annually subject to academic/progression and conduct criteria (annual reviews include academic reports, service, behavior and attendance). Timelines, notification and administration: Scholarship applications typically open on 1 February and external applications close on 21 June, with interviews held during March–May and notification by 31 May; the school may accept additional external applications until 1 August for families newly moving to Beijing. Parents should submit scholarship material through the BCIS online admissions system (OpenApply) and, for current BCIS students, follow the Secondary School Principal's directions for internal applications. If you are considering a scholarship application, confirm the current year's exact dates and submission process with Admissions because timelines and intake conditions are updated annually. Questions and next steps: For specific questions about scholarship eligibility, the application process or to request the scholarship application pack, contact BCIS Admissions (admissions@bcis.cn) or the Secondary School Principal (contacts are listed on the scholarship page). Because scholarship awards can significantly affect financial planning and place allocation, it's advisable to speak directly with Admissions before submitting both a general application and a scholarship application.	Scholarships Keystone operates both merit‑based scholarships and need‑based financial aid; families must submit a scholarship application in addition to the standard admission application. The school states it offers named scholarships (for example the Academy's “Scholar” awards reported in school news) and has an established scholarship/financial aid program intended to help talented students who cannot otherwise afford tuition. The Admission Policy and FAQs make two points parents should note: (1) scholarship applicants complete a separate scholarship form as part of the process, and (2) limited financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need and is managed annually by the Admissions Office. Selection is competitive and the school treats scholarships and admissions as related but distinct evaluations — if you intend to seek assistance, complete both the main application and the scholarship form and be prepared to supply any supporting materials the admissions team requests. For the most up‑to‑date guidance on application deadlines, required financial documents and the scale of awards, contact admission@keystoneacademy.cn or consult the school's scholarship pages and admissions office directly.
Waitlist	Waitlist BCIS does not publish a separate, detailed ‘waiting-list' policy on its public Admissions pages; instead the school states it operates a rolling admissions process and reviews applications until seats are filled in each grade. The Admissions Policy and Application pages instruct parents to confirm seat availability with the Admissions Office (phone/email) before applying, which implies that when a grade is full the school manages new enquiries through the rolling process and direct communication rather than by posting a public waitlist procedure. Because BCIS does not spell out a formal waitlist or ranking procedure on the website, parents who are concerned about availability should contact Admissions to ask whether the school holds names on a waiting list or whether offers are made from a pool of shortlisted candidates (and if so, how candidates are prioritized). Third‑party school guides and community sources also report that BCIS is popular and can have limited places in some grades, so early application and direct follow-up with Admissions are recommended.	Waitlist Keystone does not present a public, numbered “first‑to‑be‑offered” waitlist on its website; instead, the school describes a rolling process for reviewing late/over‑capacity applications and vacancies. The Admissions Policy explains that if spaces become available, the school will review overdue applications from late April onward on a rolling basis, and that places in many grades (especially Grade 1 and Grade 7) are limited and only other grades are considered when space opens up because current families depart. Practically, that means families whose applications arrive after the main deadline or who apply for non‑standard grades should expect their files to be held in a rolling admissions pool and reviewed against available seats rather than being placed on a public, position‑based waitlist. Parents who want to be considered for an unexpected vacancy are advised to keep their application current in OpenApply and to contact admission@keystoneacademy.cn to confirm their interest and status.
	View full profile →	View full profile →